“Personal data” is any information about a living individual which allows them to be identified from that data (for example a name, photographs, videos, email address, or address). Identification can be through directly using the data itself or by combining it with other information which helps to identify a living individual, (e.g. a list of staff may contain personnel ID numbers rather than names but if you use a separate list of the ID numbers which gives the corresponding names to identify the staff in the first list then the first list will also be treated as personal data).

The processing of personal data is governed by legislation relating to personal data which applies in the United Kingdom including the General Data Protection Regulation (the “GDPR) and other legislation relating to personal data and rights such as the Human Rights Act.

This Privacy Notice is provided to you by Maryport Town Council which is the data controller for your data. Other data controllers the Council works with includes other local authorities & community groups:

The Town Council may need to share your personal data it holds with them so that they can carry out their responsibilities to the Council. If the Council and the other data controllers listed above are processing your data jointly for the same purposes, then the Council and the other data controllers may be “joint data controllers”, which means that all are collectively responsible to you for your data. Where each of the parties listed above is processing your data for their own independent purposes, then each body is independently responsible to you and if you have any questions, wish to exercise any of your rights, (see below), or wish to raise a complaint, you should do so directly to the relevant data controller.

A description of what personal data the Council processes and for what purposes is set out in this Privacy Notice. The Council will process some or all of the following personal data where necessary to carry out its work:

• Names, titles and aliases, photographs
• Contact details such as telephone numbers, addresses, and email addresses

Where they are relevant to the services provided by the Council, or where you provide them to the Council, information such as gender, age, marital status, nationality, education/work history, academic/professional qualifications, hobbies, family composition, and dependants may be processed.

How the Council uses Sensitive Personal Data

1. It may process special categories of personal data in the following circumstances
   • In limited circumstances, with your explicit written consent
   • Where the Council needs to carry out its legal obligations
   • Where it is needed in the public interest.
2. Less commonly, the Council may process this type of personal data where it is needed in relation to legal claims or where it is needed to protect your interests, (or someone else’s interests), and you are not capable of giving your consent, or where you have already made the information public.

Does the Council need your consent to process your sensitive personal data?

1. In limited circumstances, the Council may approach you for your written consent to allow it to process certain sensitive personal data. If it does so, it will provide you with full details of the personal data that it would like and the reason it is needed, so that you can carefully consider whether you wish to consent. The Council may send you communications which you have requested and that may be of interest to you, such as information about campaigns, appeals, other new projects or initiatives.
2. To process relevant financial transactions including grants and payments for goods and services supplied by and to the Council
3. To allow the statistical analysis of data so that the Council can plan the provision of services. Processing may also include the use of CCTV systems for the prevention and prosecution of crime.

The Council is a public authority and has certain powers and obligations. Most of your personal data is processed for compliance with a legal obligation which includes the discharge of the Council’s functions and powers. Sometimes when exercising these powers or duties it is necessary to process personal data of residents or people using the Council’s services. The Council will always take into account your interests and rights. This Privacy Notice sets out your rights and the Council’s obligations to you.

The Council may process personal data if it is necessary for the performance of a contract with you, or to take steps to enter into a contract. An example of this would be processing your data in connection with the acceptance of an allotment garden tenancy. Sometimes the use of your personal data requires your consent. The Council will first obtain your consent to that use.

This section provides information about the third parties with whom the Council may share your personal data. These third parties have an obligation to put in place appropriate security measures and will be responsible to you directly for the manner in which they process and protect your personal data. It is likely that the Council will need to share your data with some or all of the following (but only where necessary):

• Other data controllers the Council works with
• The Council’s agents, suppliers and contractors. For example, the Council may ask a commercial provider to publish or distribute newsletters on its behalf, or to maintain its database software
• On occasion, other local authorities or not for profit bodies with which the Council’s carrying out joint ventures e.g. in relation to facilities or events for the community.

The Council will keep some records permanently if it is legally required to do so. It may keep some other records for an extended period of time. For example, it is currently best practice to keep financial records for a minimum period of 8 years to support HMRC audits or provide tax information. It may have legal obligations to retain some data in connection with its statutory obligations as a public authority. The Council is permitted to retain data in order to defend or pursue claims. In some cases, the law imposes a time limit for such claims, (for example 3 years for personal injury claims or 6 years for contract claims).

The Council will retain some personal data for such purposes as long as it believes it is necessary to be able to defend or pursue a claim. In general, it will endeavour to keep data only for as long as it is needed. This means that it will delete it when it is no longer needed.

Your Rights and your Personal Data

You have the following rights with respect to your personal data. When exercising any of the rights listed below, in order to process your request, the Council may need to verify your identity for your security. In such cases, the Council will need you to respond with proof of your identity before you can exercise these rights.

1. The right to access personal data the Council holds on you
   • At any point you can contact the Council to request the personal data it holds on you as well as why it has that personal data, who has access to that data and where it obtained the data from. Once the Council has received your request, it will endeavour to respond within one month. There are no fees or charges for the first request but additional requests for the same personal data or requests which are manifestly unfounded or excessive may be subject to an administrative fee.
2. The right to correct and update the personal data the Council holds on you
   • If the data the Council holds on you is out of date, incomplete or incorrect, you can inform it and your data will be updated.
3. The right to have your personal data erased
   • If you feel that the Council should no longer be using your personal data or that it is unlawfully using your personal data, you can request that it erases the personal data held. When your request is received, the Council will confirm whether the personal data has been deleted or the reason why it cannot be deleted, (for example, because it is needed to comply with a legal obligation).
4. The right to object to processing of your personal data or to restrict it to certain purposes only
   • You have the right to request that the Council stops processing your personal data or ask it to restrict processing. Upon receiving the request, it will contact you and let you know if it is are able to comply or if it has a legal obligation to continue to process your data.
5. The right to data portability
   • You have the right to request that the Council transfers some of your data to another controller. The Council will comply with your request, where it is feasible to do so, within one month of receiving your request.
6. The right to withdraw your consent to the processing at any time of any processing of data to which consent was obtained
   • You can withdraw your consent easily by telephone, email, or by post, (see Contact Details below).
7. The right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office
   • You can contact the Information Commissioners Office on 0303 123 1113 or via email https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/email/ or at the Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.

If the Council wishes to use your personal data for a new purpose, not covered by this Privacy Notice, then it will provide you with a new notice explaining this new use prior to commencing the processing and setting out the relevant purposes and processing conditions. Where and whenever necessary, it will seek your prior consent to the new processing.

The Council is committed to safeguarding the privacy of its website visitors; this policy sets out how it will treat your personal information.

The Council may collect, store and use the following kinds of personal data:

• Information about your computer and about your visits to and use of this website, (including your IP address, geographical location, browser type, referral source, length of visit and number of page views)
• Any other information that you choose to send to the Council.

A cookie consists of information sent by a web server to a web browser and stored by the browser. The information is then sent back to the server each time the browser requests a page from the server. This enables the webserver to identify and track the web browser. Cookies can identify users, remember preferences, and help users to complete tasks without having to re-enter information when visiting multiple pages or returning to your site. This helps provide a more personalised and slick user experience.

Please visit the desiccated Cooke Policy page where you can find out more information:

https://www.maryporttowncouncil.gov.uk/cookie-policy-uk/

The website contains links to other websites. The Council is not responsible for the privacy policies or practices of third-party websites.

Personal data submitted on this website will be used for the purposes specified in this privacy policy or in relevant parts of the website.

Where you submit personal information for publication on the Council’s website, the Council will publish and otherwise use that information in accordance with the licence you grant to it.

The Council will not, without your express consent, provide your personal information to any third parties for the purpose of direct marketing.

The Council will take reasonable technical and organisational precautions to prevent the loss, misuse or alteration of your personal information. Note that data transmission over the internet is inherently insecure and the Council cannot guarantee the security of data sent over the internet.

Amendment, Updating Information & Contact Details

1. Policy amendments
   The Council may update this privacy policy from time-to-time by posting a new version on its website. You should check this page occasionally to ensure you are happy with any changes.
2. Your rights
   You may instruct the Council to provide you with any personal information it holds about you.
3. Updating information
   Please let the Council know if the personal information which it holds about you needs to be corrected or updated.

This Notice was last updated in September 2025

Please contact the Council if you have any questions about this Privacy Notice or the personal data the Council holds about you or to exercise all relevant rights, queries or complaints at [email protected].